rioters
Violent crowd members
Rioters are people participating in a riot—a violent public disturbance involving a crowd.
The term appears in news coverage of civil unrest, protests that turn destructive, or mass looting: Rioters set fire to cars and smashed storefronts.
Whether participants are called rioters or protesters often reflects the speaker's political sympathies.
Large public gathering
- throngDense pressing crowd
- hordeDisorganized, overwhelming crowd
- mobDisorderly, aggressive crowd
- massesBulk or populace
swarm · multitude · pack · crush · gathering · agitators · troublemakers · hooligans
Violent disorder and destruction
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- disorderAbsence of organization
- bedlamState of wild disorder
havoc · destruction · looting · vandalism · rampage · frenzy · lawlessness · carnage
Violent uprising against authority
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- insurgentsThose fighting established authority
- revolutionViolent governmental overthrow
mutiny · overthrow · sedition · resistance · defiance · dissent · unrest · civil unrest
Public display of opinion
- marchRhythmic group walk
- rallyGathering for a cause
- placardsSigns carried at demonstrations
- chantingRhythmic repetitive vocalization
grievances · civil disobedience · activism · solidarity · banner · assembly · picket · confrontation
Civil law enforcement
- arrestSeize by law
- detentionTemporary official holding
- tear gasEye-irritating riot dispersant
- rubber bulletsNon-lethal police ammunition
water cannon · shields · batons · curfew · crackdown · dispersal · containment · National Guard
crowd
Large public gathering
masses · swarm · multitude · pack · crush · gathering · agitators · troublemakers · hooligans · instigators
mayhem
Violent disorder and destruction
- pandemoniumState of utter confusion
- turmoilViolent disturbance or confusion
- disorderAbsence of organization
bedlam · havoc · destruction · looting · vandalism · rampage · frenzy · lawlessness · carnage · unrest
insurrection
Violent uprising against authority
- revoltOrganized resistance to power
- rebellionDefiance of established power
- insurgentsThose fighting established authority
revolution · mutiny · overthrow · sedition · resistance · defiance · dissent · unrest · civil unrest · street battles
demonstration
Public display of opinion
chanting · grievances · civil disobedience · activism · solidarity · banner · assembly · picket · confrontation · standoff
police
Civil law enforcement
rubber bullets · water cannon · shields · batons · curfew · crackdown · dispersal · containment · National Guard · armored vehicles
- civil unrestmob, uprising, revolt, unrest, uprisings
- insurgentsinsurgent, guerrillas, guerrilla, rebel, resistance fighters
- thugsthugs, goons, heavies, toughs, brutes
- crowdscrowd, horde, mob, throng, multitude
- uprisingsuprising, revolt, rebellion, insurrection, mutiny
- destroyersdestroyers, guided missile, torpedo tubes, hull, stern
rioterspeacekeepers
Forces maintaining cease-fires
police · law enforcement · riot police · peace officers · security forces